Chinese word

绿灯

Pronunciation

Pinyinlǜ dēng

Meaning

  • noungreen light

Example

不要闯红灯，等绿灯再走。bú yào chuǎng hóng dēng děng lǜ dēng zài zǒu

Don't run a red light; wait for the green light before going.

Illustration for 绿灯 (green light)

More examples

司机看见绿灯，就加速通过。sī jī kàn jiàn lǜ dēng jiù jiā sù tōng guò

The driver sees the green light and speeds up to pass through.

Core concept

The go-ahead color in a traffic signal, turning a wait into permitted movement.

Common phrases

  • 等绿灯再走děng lǜ dēng zài zǒu

    wait for the green light before going

  • 行人在绿灯通过xíng rén zài lǜ dēng tōng guò

    pedestrians cross on the green light

  • 绿灯亮起lǜ dēng liàng qǐ

    the green light comes on

Similar words

信号灯xìn hào dēng: A traffic signal unit that shows whether vehicles or pedestrians should proceed or stop.
红灯hóng dēng: A traffic signal's red display, which means that vehicles and pedestrians should not proceed.
黄灯huáng dēng: A traffic signal's yellow display, which signals caution and possible stopping.
交通信号jiāo tōng xìn hào: The traffic-control arrangement of signals and displays on roads.

Definition in Chinese

路口或信号装置上用于指示车辆或行人通行的绿色灯示，亦可指该灯亮起的状态lù kǒu huò xìn hào zhuāng zhì shàng yòng yú zhǐ shì chē liàng huò xíng rén tōng xíng de lǜ sè dēng shì yì kě zhǐ gāi dēng liàng qǐ de zhuàng tài

Word origin

The compound 绿 (lǜ, "green") + 灯 (dēng, "lamp") describes a lamp whose green display gives traffic permission to move.

Usage tips

  • In everyday traffic talk, this noun can refer to the green display or to the period when it is lit, so it is not limited to a physical bulb.

Opposites

Word lists with this word